HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Tell me about Altair.
Altair empowers client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of information. Privately held with more than 1,400 employees, Altair has offices throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 20-year-plus track record of profitable growth and innovation, Altair consistently delivers a competitive advantage to customers in a broad range of industries. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.
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Tell me about HyperWorks.
HyperWorks is an on-demand software platform for enterprise analytics that includes statistical, database, visualization and simulation software to help companies make better business decisions. HyperWorks uses a patented licensing technology allowing customers to transparently share licenses globally across a broad suite of applications.
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Tell me about the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program.
Altair’s HyperWorks platform for enterprise analytics has been opened to third-party applications, all of which are available to customers under its revolutionary on-demand software licensing system. Six leading independent software vendors (ISVs) have already joined the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program. Altair is effectively extending the HyperWorks Platform from 28 internally developed solutions to 43 applications with the addition of new ISV applications. Customers can utilize these 15 new third party applications for zero incremental cost utilizing their existing HyperWorks licenses.
Altair plans to continue to add valuable third party software solutions to the HyperWorks platform that will empower customers with comprehensive enterprise analytic tools.
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Why is this new Altair partner program significant?
Altair has previously taken a leadership position by delivering a software licensing model that provides customers greater flexibility and value than traditional licensing models. Now, Altair is opening this licensing model to third-party partners.
The HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program is unique, because it:
- Allows customers access to third party applications which they can utilize without additional cost.
- Provides customers an opportunity to reduce infrastructure and administrative costs
- Gives customers the ability to evaluate and deploy innovative new software quickly without risk or incremental cost.
- Provides partners who participate with a new channel for software distribution with shorter sales cycles due to established relationships and infrastructures.
- Incorporates a new paradigm, where Altair shares software royalties with its partners based on actual customer usage reports
Altair continues to be a catalyst in the industry; providing the most flexible and innovative partner program.
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Which ISV applications are included in the HyperWorks Partner Solutions program?
Six independent software vendors (ISVs) have already joined the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program, they are:
- ECS (MAGNA Powertrain’s) FEMFAT Fatigue/Durability suite
- EMSS’s FEKO Electromagnetics suite
- HiQube’s HiQube Business intelligence & analytics suite
- METACOMP’s MIME, CFD++ and CAA++ CFD suite
- nCode’s DesignLife Fatigue/Durability suite
- Software Cradle’s SC/TETRA CFD suite
In the future, Altair plans to expand the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program rapidly by adding more customer-driven partner applications.
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Are the partner products identical to the standard versions from the partner company?
In general, the partner products included in the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program have the same functionality and features sets as their corresponding standard versions. The only significant difference is associated with enabling the partner products to operate under Altair’s licensing system.
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Are partner products integrated with HyperWorks applications?
Many partner products are already integrated with HyperWorks applications. Altair encourages ISV partners to integrate closely with HyperWorks applications, but we do not require ISV partners to do extensive integrations as a prerequisite for joining this program.
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How will you handle training for partner products?
Customers will receive technical product training from our ISV partners. Altair has a process whereby we will notify our ISV partners when customers join the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Community and express interest in their applications. Altair will also send additional notices to ISV Partners when customers download their applications. The ISV Partners will contact the customers after they receive these notices and arrange training classes as required.
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How will you handle technical support for partner products?
Customers may request technical support services via email and telephone. Altair will field first inquiries to determine if the request for technical assistance is related to an Altair product, the Altair licensing systems or a partner product. If Altair determines that the customer’s request relates to a partner product, then Altair will refer the customer to the partner’s support organization.
Customers will also have access to all maintenance releases and major version upgrades to the HyperWorks partner products.
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How do customers join the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Community?
To gain access to HyperWorks Partner Solutions, customers should visit our new HyperWorks Partner Solutions Community Web site at www.HyperWorkCommunity.com and complete a short Web-based application form. Our goal is to approve as many customer applications as possible and quickly expand the community.
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How exactly does the HyperWorks licensing system work?
Altair customers purchase an annual subscription license for pool of HyperWorks Units (HWUs). These units are like currency - each HyperWorks application draws a specific quantity of HWUs when a user invokes the HyperWorks product, and returns the HWUs back to the pool when the HyperWorks application is closed. Customers can concurrently use as many products from the HyperWorks suite as they desire, until the total quantity of units in the pool are exceeded.
Under the HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program, Altair is now expanding the HyperWorks suite by including third-party products. The customers who participate in the program can use their existing pool of HWUs for both HyperWorks and participating partner products.
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Are customers required to sign additional end-user license agreements (EULA)?
No, customers are not required to sign any additional license agreements for this program. The new Altair license agreement is the only EULA customers must sign.
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What does this mean to Altair partners?
The HyperWorks Partner Solutions Program represents an innovative distribution channel opportunity for commercial software vendors to expand market presence and increase recurring revenues.
Unique benefits:
- Direct access to Altair’s global customer base (Altair is already on the approved vendor list)
- Lower sales cost (leverage Altair’s global marketing and sales teams)
- Shorter sales cycle (customer can utilize your product without incurring additional cost)
- Royalty sharing based on actual customer usage (including evaluation usage)
- Demonstrate thought-leadership by participating in an innovative technology delivery solution
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How is Altair’s partner program different than your competitors?
Altair provides a unique business model that represents a true win-win-win proposition for customers, partners and Altair.
- Customers gain access to partner applications at no additional cost.
- Partners gain a leveraged distribution channel into Altair’s huge installed customer base.
- Altair expands the HyperWorks platform and enhances its relationships with existing customers
Altair believes traditional licensing schemes and partnering models do not come close to satisfying customer requirements. The HyperWorks Partner Solution Program represents a paradigm shift and a significantly more attractive option to customers and partners alike.
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How can a software company join this program?
Organizations who develop and market commercial software applications may apply to become a partner in this community by visiting www.HyperWorksCommunity.com
Altair envisions having a very open partner community which can include ISV companies who have products which are competitive to the products we develop internally.
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